THE PRESIDENT: Hola. Sientese. Thank you for coming. Welcome to
the Rose Garden. It's my honor to host you for an important policy
announcement.

I'm proud to be joined by our great Secretary of State Colin Powell
and a son of Cuba, a graduate of the Pedro Pan program -- (applause) --
Mel Martinez. (Applause.) I'm also pleased to be joined with other
members who will be -- of my administration who will be charged with
implementing policy. From the Department of Homeland Security, Under
Secretary Asa Hutchinson is with us today. (Applause.) From the
Treasury Department, Rick Newcomb, Director of the Office of Foreign
Asset Control, is with us today. Rick, thank you for coming.
(Applause.) Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, Roger
Noriega is with us today. (Applause.) Y, por fin, from my staff,
Envoy Otto Reich. (Applause.)

As well, we're honored to have distinguished members of the
Congress with us, starting with the very capable and able Senator from
the state of Virginia, George Allen. (Applause.) Bienvenidos, Jorge.
(Laughter.) From the state of Florida, Congressman Lincoln
Diaz-Balart. (Applause.) Y su hermano, Congressman Mario
Diaz-Balart. (Applause.) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. (Applause.) And
Porter Goss. Thank you for coming. I'm honored you all are here.
(Applause.)

The Secretary mentioned to me that Bob Dole is with us. Bob Dole
is not with us.

One hundred and thirty-five years ago today, the struggle for Cuban
freedom began at a sugar mill near Manzanillo. Carlos Manuel de
Cespedes -- known as the Father of the Homeland -- led an uprising
against colonial rule. Today, the struggle for freedom continues -- it
hasn't ended -- in cities and towns of that beautiful island, in
Castro's prisons, and in the heart of every Cuban patriot. It is
carried on by brave dissidents like Oscar Elias Biscet, Marta Beatriz
Roque, Leonardo Bruzon Avila.

Last year in Miami, I offered Cuba's government a way forward -- a
way forward toward democracy and hope and better relations with the
United States. I pledged to work with our Congress to ease bans on
trade and travel between our two countries if -- and only if -- the
Cuban government held free and fair elections, allowed the Cuban people
to organize, assemble and to speak freely, and ease the stranglehold on
private enterprise.

Since I made that offer, we have seen how the Castro regime answers
diplomatic initiatives. The dictator has responded with defiance and
contempt and a new round of brutal oppression that outraged the world's
conscience.

In April, 75 peaceful members of Cuban opposition were given harsh
prison sentences, some as long a 20 years. Their crimes were to
publish newspapers, to organize petition drives, to meet to discuss the
future of their country. Cuba's political prisoners subjected to
beatings and solitary confinement and the denial of medical treatment.
Elections in Cuba are still a sham. Opposition groups still organize
and meet at their own peril. Private economic activity is still
strangled. Non-government trade unions are still oppressed and
suppressed. Property rights are still ignored. And most goods and
services produced in Cuba are still reserved for the political elites.

Clearly, the Castro regime will not change by its own choice. But
Cuba must change. So today I'm announcing several new initiatives
intended to hasten the arrival of a new, free, democratic Cuba.
(Applause.)

First, we are strengthening re-enforcement of those travel
restrictions to Cuba that are already in place. (Applause.) U.S. law
forbids Americans to travel to Cuba for pleasure. That law is on the
books and it must be enforced. We allow travel for limited reasons,
including visit to a family, to bring humanitarian aid, or to conduct
research. Those exceptions are too often used as cover for illegal
business travel and tourism, or to skirt the restrictions on carrying
cash into Cuba. We're cracking down on this deception.

I've instructed the Department of Homeland Security to increase
inspections of travelers and shipments to and from Cuba. We will
enforce the law. (Applause.) We will also target those who travel to
Cuba illegally through third countries, and those who sail to Cuba on
private vessels in violation of the embargo.

You see, our country must understand the consequences of illegal
travel. All Americans need to know that foreign-owned resorts in Cuba
must pay wages -- must pay the wages of their Cuban workers to the
government. A good soul in America who wants to be a tourist goes to a
foreign-owned resort, pays the hotel bill -- that money goes to the
government. The government, in turn, pays the workers a pittance in
worthless pesos and keeps the hard currency to prop up the dictator and
his cronies. Illegal tourism perpetuates the misery of the Cuban
people. And that is why I've charged the Department of Homeland
Security to stop that kind of illegal trafficking of money.
(Applause.)

By cracking down on the illegal travel, we will also serve another
important goal. A rapidly growing part of Cuba's tourism industry is
the illicit sex trade, a modern form of slavery which is encouraged by
the Cuban government. This cruel exploitation of innocent women and
children must be exposed and must be ended. (Applause.)

Second, we are working to ensure that Cubans fleeing the
dictatorship do not risk their lives at sea. My administration is
improving the method through which we identify refugees, and redoubling
our efforts to process Cubans who seek to leave. We will better inform
Cubans of the many routes to safe and legal entry into the United
States through a public outreach campaign in southern Florida and
inside Cuba itself. We will increase the number of new Cuban
immigrants we welcome every year. (Applause.) We are free to do so,
and we will, for the good of those who seek freedom. Our goal is to
help more Cubans safely complete their journey to a free land.

Third, our government will establish a Commission for the
Assistance to a Free Cuba, to plan for the happy day when Castro's
regime is no more and democracy comes to the island. This commission
will be co-chaired by the Secretary of State, Colin Powell; and the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mel Martinez. They will
draw upon experts within our government to plan for Cuba's transition
from Stalinist rule to a free and open society, to identify ways to
hasten the arrival of that day. (Applause.)

The transition to freedom will present many challenges to the Cuban
people and to America, and we will be prepared. America is not alone
in calling for freedom inside of Cuba. Countries around the globe and
the United Nations Human Rights Commission increasingly recognize the
oppressive nature of the Castro regime, and have denounced its recent
crackdowns. We will continue to build a strong international coalition
to advance the cause of freedom inside of Cuba.

In addition to the measures I've announced today, we continue to
break the information embargo that the Cuban government has imposed on
its people for a half a century. Repressive governments fear the
truth, and so we're increasing the amount and expanding the
distribution of printed material to Cuba, of Internet-based information
inside of Cuba, and of AM-FM and shortwave radios for Cubans.

Radio and TV Marti are bringing the message of freedom to the Cuban
people. This administration fully recognizes the need to enhance the
effectiveness of Radio and TV Marti. Earlier this year, we launched a
new satellite service to expand our reach to Cuba. On May 20th, we
staged the historic flight of Commando Solo, an airborne transmission
system that broke through Castro's jamming efforts. Tyrants hate the
truth; they jam messages. And on that day, I had the honor of speaking
to the Cuban people in the native language.

It's only the beginning of a more robust effort to break through to
the Cuban people. This country loves freedom and we know that the
enemy of every tyrant is the truth. We're determined to bring the
truth to the people who suffer under Fidel Castro. (Applause.)

Cuba has a proud history of fighting for freedom, and that fight
goes on. In all that lies ahead, the Cuban people have a constant
friend in the United States of America. No tyrant can stand forever
against the power of liberty, because the hope of freedom is found in
every heart. So today we are confident that no matter what the
dictator intends or plans, Cuba sera pronto libre. (Applause.)